About This Gigapan

An open pit coal mining project on private land near Ligonier, Pennsylvania slowly removing a hill and all the trees around it.

Government Financed Reclamation Contract # 65-06-06 Mellon #2 "This reclamation project is being completed at no cost to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under a special program for reclamation of abandoned coal refuse disposal areas."

News Clippings:

DEP Awards Contract to Reclaim Abandoned Mine Lands in Loyalhanna River Watershed at No Cost to Taxpayers

HARRISBURG (April 15, 2008) -- DEP’s Greensburg District Mining Office has awarded a contract that will result in the reclamation of nearly 20 acres of abandoned mine lands and improve the health of a high-quality stream in the Loyalhanna watershed. By contracting with the mining company to remove remaining coal reserves and reclaim this site in return for the value of the coal, this project will save the Commonwealth approximately $90,306.00 in abandoned mine reclamation costs.

Coal Loaders Inc. of Ligonier received a contract to extract remaining coal reserves and reclaim 19.8 acres of abandoned mine lands in the Pittsburgh coal seam near the village of Wilpen in Ligonier Township, Westmoreland County. The company will daylight, or expose, approximately seven acres of abandoned underground mine workings that are contributing to surface and groundwater pollution in the area, and remove the remaining coal reserves. In addition, 1,300 feet of dangerous highwall and 12 acres of spoil piles will be graded to approximate original contours as required under modern mining regulations, and planted with vegetation that is specially formulated to grow on abandoned mine lands. Reclamation of these abandoned mine lands will reduce the volume of acidic mine drainage from the site into tributaries of Coalpit Run, which is designated as a High-Quality waterway.

Oct. 29 --The board voted to set a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 7 for two proposals by Ligonier-based Coal Loaders Inc. -- extracting coal from former mine sites and reclaiming much of the land on each tract to its pre-mined state as part of government-financed construction contracts. The first site -- on which 40 acres of proposed reclamation would occur -- is on property owned by Seward Prosser Mellon along Myers School Road. The proposal would allow for completion of the second phase of a three-phase project on the land known as Mellon Tract No. 2. In May, Coal Loaders began mining remaining coal from the 28-acre Mellon Tract No. 3, which the company expects to have completely reclaimed by spring, said General Manager Don Lupyan. The company eventually plans to mine and reclaim a third plot known as Mellon Tract No.1, he said.

The second site -- on which about 9 acres of proposed reclamation would take place -- is on property owned by Ligonier Camp & Conference Center along Wilpen Road. The proposal would allow for completion of the first phase of a three-phase project on additional lands owned by the conference center in the surrounding area, Lupyan said.

Nov. 13--Ligonier Township supervisors voted Tuesday to grant conditional-use permits for proposed abandoned mine-reclamation projects on two properties. Ligonier-based Coal Loaders Inc. will extract remaining coal from the sites and reclaim much of both lands as part of a government-financed construction program.

The first property is a 40-acre plot owned by Seward Prosser Mellon on Myers School Road known as Mellon Tract No. 2 that would allow for completion of what would be the second phase of a three-phase project. The company eventually plans to mine and reclaim a third plot known as Mellon Tract No. 1, said Coal Loaders general manager Don Lupyan. The second property is a 9-acre tract owned by the Ligonier Camp & Conference Center near Wilpen Road that would allow for completion of the first phase of a three-phase project on additional lands owned by the center in the surrounding area.

Coal Loaders must perform work on both properties between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., Mondays to Fridays. Lupyan had asked the board to consider granting the company time to work on Saturdays, but the request was denied. "We feel it's the public's right to have privacy and quiet on the weekends," said board Chairman Carl Penrod. Several nearby property owners endorsed the project in writing, but several others attended a public hearing last month to voice concerns over potential noise problems and damages. Only Rose Stepnick of Darlington -- who implored the township not to allow Coal Loaders to work on Saturdays -- was in attendance yesterday.

The township waived an ordinance requiring the company to stay 200 feet away from any bordering property line on both properties, according to the documents. That allows the company to perform reclamation work up to one foot away from neighboring properties. The company can also work within 300 feet of Myers School Road to remove remaining highwalls and pits. "We have a need for this work to be done. It will improve public safety," said township Solicitor Judith K. Ciszek.